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Lore slid past him, his body heat sending shivers up her arms. She dumped the cups into the sink. She was just about to fill the sink with water when she felt Asher step up behind her. He placed one hand on her hip.

His breath stirred the curls on top of her hair. “I just got back to you. Do you think I’m letting you out of my sight again?”

Lore’s hands stilled just above the faucet. He had a point. She didn’t want to let him out of her sight, either. She turned around to face him. Her skin flashed hot at their closeness and her chest constricted.

Asher was looking at her, his eyes dark with desire. Lore didn’t ever have to wonder what he was thinking—he wore his emotions on his face. He wanted her and he let it be known. Things were easy with him, unlike with Finn. Warm then cold, one moment aloof and uncaring, and then risking his life for her the next. Every aspect of Lore’s life was complicated. With Asher it was never confusing. She needed someone who would be openwith her. She didn’t want to question where she stood when it came to how someone felt about her.

“Good. I didn’t want you to leave, anyway,” she whispered. She wanted him closer. Tofeelthe way he felt about her against her lips, her skin. She wanted to be sure about something, at last.

“You could’ve fooled me. I thought you were afraid to be alone with me or something.” Asher lifted a finger up and brushed her flyaway curls behind her ear, taking a moment to caress the rounded tip.

Heat shot from that sensitive spot on her ear down to her core. Lore clenched her thighs together, but it didn’t help ease the pulsing ache there.

“Mmm, do you like this? My ears are sensitive too, you know.”

“I could—” Lore lost her train of thought. Asher had begun to swirl the tip of her ear between his fingers. And the hand on her hip tightened deliciously. “I could never be afraid of you.”

A low growl of approval erupted in his chest. “You have never had a very good sense of self-preservation. Always running headfirst into danger. I sometimes wonder if you have a bit of adrenaline-seeking behavior, Mouse.”

“I don’t—”

Lore’s protest died on her lips as his fangs glimmered in the purple light of dawn and he pressed his lips to her throat. He scraped down with his teeth until he reached the spot where her neck met her shoulder, then he bit down. Not enough to break the skin, but just enough for molten fire to shoot through Lore’s veins. Nothing existed outside of the brand of his mouth on her.

“I’m so much stronger than you,” he crooned. “Youshouldbe afraid of me. In fact, you should push me away right now.” His words were spoken softly against her skin, the plea in them apparent. He was telling her to push him away, even if it was the last thing he wanted her to do.

Lore couldn’t even if she’d wanted to. At some point, she’d brought her hands up and fisted them in his shirt, gripping him to her. “You couldn’t hurt me.”

“I could hurt you in more ways than you know. But I can’t seem to stop tasting you,” Asher murmured. “Simply delightful.” He pulled her sleeve aside and began trailing kisses down her shoulder. He chuckled, although the sound ended in a groan. “Mouse, if you keep untucking my shirt, I’m going to do very bad things to you.”

Lore began untucking it in earnest.

He pulled the thin skin of her throat into his mouth and bit. Hard. The sharp pain—mingling with pleasure—sent liquid heat straight to her core. Lore moaned, sliding her head back to give him more access. Asher reached up and gripped her throat, kissing and biting her harder.

“Asher.” Lore breathed.

“Yes?” He was licking and nibbling at her collarbone now.

“Kiss me.”

Asher froze for the barest of moments. Lore could tell he was warring with himself.

Ultimately, he lost.

Or won.

Lore wasn’t sure, because every thought scattered from her brain as he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. He walked over to the table in three long strides and placed her on it. Her core pulsed to her heartbeat, and she ached at the feel of him between her thighs.

“If I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop.”

She pressed her legs around him as Asher searched her face for any sign that she didn’t want this. Any sign that he should stop.

He found none.

And then he was kissing her, claiming her. His mouth was hotand insistent on hers. She opened for him, her tongue tangling with his, and she could taste the sweetness of him. The kiss was fierce and wild, like they were both starving for each other.

Asher’s hands roamed over her body, cupping her breasts and sliding down her sides to grip her hips. She moaned into his mouth, her body arching up to meet his.

Closer. Closer. She needed to be closer. He’d been gone for so long—she needed to feel him. To see him. To know that he was really here.